Height-adjustable table



J. J. KEAL HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed July 26, 1954 INVENTOR. c/OH/V d. K5344 Dec. 20, 1955 United States Patent O HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE TABLE John J. Keal, Los Angcles, Calif., assignor to Brown- Saltman Furniture Co., South Gate, Calif., a corporation of California Application July 26, 1954, Serial No. 445,663 2 Claims. (Cl. 311-39) This invention relates to convertible tables and has for one of its objects to provide a table structure enabling ready conversion of a normally low table, for instance a cocktail or coffee table or a lamp table, to a table that is higher and, therefore, more suited for use as an eating or dining table. Such normally low tables are usually found in the living room and their adaptability to conversion materially increases the many uses to which such tables may be put.

While food and drink may be served from a low table, it cannot be comfortably used to eat or drink from. Another object of the invention is to provide a table structure having a top that is readily movable not only to an elevated but also to a forward position, greatly facilitating its use as a table from which a person may partake of food.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes, preferred embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a top plan view of a convertible table embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing the table in converted position with its top elevated and forwardly projected.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modification.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, the present table comprises, generally, a base 10, a table top or leaf 11 superimposed on said base, and means 12 interconnecting said base and leaf and constituting support means for the latter when moved from said superimposed position to an elevated and projected position. In the form of Fig. 5, two leaves 11a and 11b are normally superimposed on the table base, and means 12a and 12b, respectively, connect said leaves and base.

The present base is shown as provided with a top 13 that is supported as by legs 14. Said top, as best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, is provided with a well or recess 15 that has a bottom 16 below the surface of top 13. As shown, said well is preferably completely framed so as to be invisible when leaf 11 covers the same. Said well is provided to house the means 12, when folded, and is defined laterally by walls 17.

If desired, the table may be provided with a drawer 19 located beneath wellbottom 16, although the same is 2,727,799 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 not essential to the invention. Also, various leg-supporting means such as the stringers 18 may be employed in the usual way.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the leaf 11 is made of a size to completely cover well 15, as best seen in Fig. 1, the marginal edges of said leaf suitably overlapping the peripheral walls of said well. Consequently, said leaf constitutes part of the top of the table and cooperates with the top 13 in this respect. It will be understood that leaf 15 may constitute the entire table top merely by omitting the portions of top 13 that extendlaterally of leaf 11. Said leaf is shown as a rectangular member although the shape thereof may be modified in accordance with the shape given to the well 15.

The means 12 are here shown as folding leg or support members 20 and 21 that are preferably formed of bent rods or tubes into generally U-form. The member 20 comprises legs 22 connected by a horizontal part 23 and having outturned trunnions 24 that have pivotal bearing in well walls 17. Clips 24a pivotally connect part 23 to the bottom leaf 11. The member 21, in a somewhat similar manner, comprises legs 25, a connecting part 26, and outturned trunnions 27. Clips 28 connect part 26 to leaf 11, as before.

While legs 25 are shown as inwardly directed toward each other from the trunnions 27, the same, essentially, are the same as legs 21 and of the same length or height. These legs are arranged in parallelogram form, as can best be seen from Fig. 4. By locating trunnions 24 adjacent the front of the base and the trunnions 27 along an intermediate line of said base, the support members 20 and 21 fold into well 15 when the leaf is in superimposed position over said well (see Fig. 3). Consequently, when the leaf is elevated to the position of Fig. 4, said support members 20 and 21 bring said leaf to a position in which the forward edge 29 is forward of the front of base 10.

In order to maintain the above converted position of the table leaf 11, the legs 22 of support member 12 are provided with folding or jack-knife braces 30 that interconnect them with the table leaf. Only by folding said braces can the leaf be released for movement back to well-covering position.

Raising of the leaf is facilitated by providing the side edges thereof with finger-engaging recesses 31.

The structure of the modification of Fig. 5 generally follows that of the form above described. In this case, the well is covered by the two independently movable leaves 11a and 11b, the same being movable to projected position at opposite sides of the table. Each leaf covers but one-half the table top. Also, the well may have a divider 32 therein to serve as a framing support for said leaves when folded.

The means 12a and 12b are similar to the means 12 above described, although the braces 30a may be applied to the rearward rather than the forward folding support members. In other respects, the construction may follow the earlier described form.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what are now contemplated to be the best modes of carrying out the invention, the constructions are, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the invention to the particular forms of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A height-adjustable table comprising a fiat top provided with legs supporting the same from the floor, said 'top, SIi'rfife d "fli 'fil "it 'lezifit 'b'fie B1111 "th'efeof, "being provided with a well, said top constituting a portion of the top surface of thetable, a flat leaf superimposed over the portiohs '0': said topsunouniiingthe we'll aiiii c'o'ver'ing aLi'd "well, said lea f constituting another portion of 'the top surface of the table, said two top portions combining to form the eomplete table top, and'meanshoused in the wellehcl-iinteioiinciting the leaf and the table top, s'aid means being movable to erect position supporting the leaf in elevated''nd forwaidly'projeeted position'relativeto an edge" of the tble at an angle to the'mentioned endtfireqf. I

-ZJA height-aiijust'ble table according to claim 1: atop portionsimilar to the top'that cohstitutesa'p'ortion of 'the top surface and disposed between the well ehdthe ofapo'site end of the table.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Borgmann May 5, Kradolfer Sept. 29, Ferney 1 Nov. 24, Linde Nov. 21, Kruger Sept. 4, Carlsson Feb. 12, Schade -1 Mar. 3,

FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden June 20, Sweden Nov. 14, 

